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What's the best way to increase my daily calorie intake?

Up it all at once, going from eating say 2,500 calories to 3,500 in a day, or space it out and build up to more calories?

I'm taking in around 3,000 a day right now, give or take 100.

Eat six times a day and snack in between

Go up 200 a fortnight that way you are in control and that give or take 100 becomes less of a fat concern and you can control the levels alot easier

your body will still respond to that excess calories from day 1 so there is no need to jump right up. Treat diet like yuo would the gym ie progression

Yeah, I agree with bfg1. I have been eating 4000 calories per day for the past few weeks. Every time I tried to make the leap from 3000 to 4000 overnight, I inevitably failed. But when I did it incrementally, I succeeded and, what's more, it feels pretty easy. Though I did it quicker than 200 a fortnight - I went up around 300 calories per day so that I was at 4k by the end of the work week. The important thing is to find a pace that works for you.

whats your rationale behind a 1000 calorie leap? If you are at a lower level then such a great leap is of minimal benefit if your training doesnt match it and you will end up spending just as much time doing cardio to burn of calories you neednt have eaten in the first place.

The crazy thing is your body would have responded well to the lower increase and now you are at 4000 where next? It wont suddenly start creating muscle at a phenomenal rate over and above what it would have done at smaller increases

The rationale is that my training does match the increase. I'm working with a personal trainer now. We spent a month and a half working on core work, balance and endurance, going from no weights and steadily increasing to moderate weights. We've now kicked into really heavy weights. And because my endurance has gotten really high, I'm able to do a lot of heavy lifting for a full hour with very little rest (well, I do rest but the "rest" periods are lighter weight/balance exercises). Honestly, I eat six 660 calorie meals throughout the day and I am still hungry. I'll only be eating this way for a month or two. Still, I'm glad to read your post because it shows I should not be hard on myself on the days that I fall more around the 3600 - 3800 mark.

well I wouldnt go so far as to say your last comment as like all things regresion is not the best route. The issue I was trying to highlight was that to jump so far so soon is not always the best course of action as what is your fall back? How well would your body have responded to a lower level of calorie input? By jumping so high so quick you fail to see how the body responds and therefore its hard to react if a) you are adding too much fat and b) you are not adding enough muscle.

A differential of that level means that you are then going to be playing a guessing game of the next step and that guessing game can take weeks to get to grips with.

Yogurt + Protein powder. Its much more convenient than making a protein shake. Mix it up and eat your goop

sammie saidYogurt + Protein powder. Its much more convenient than making a protein shake. Mix it up and eat your goop

Silken tofu + protein powder--adds diversity to the sources of protein you're getting. I usually do half a package of silken tofu and a scoop of vanilla casein protein since the soy-based protein will absorb quickly and the casein will take longer to absorb hence prolonging its usefulness as a protein source.

Wols...what brand of protein powder do you recommend? The brands I've seen all have a LOT of sugar (or sugar substitute) in them, which I assume can't be very good for you.

Thanks!

You liquids should mainly be milk (1-2%) and/or quality protein shakes. Right before bed drink a large LOW CARB protein shake w/ 40-50 grams of CASSEIN (sp) protein. The Cassein protein will be SLOWLY absorbed by your body throught your sleep cycle.